RECAP: Cleveland Indians fall to New York Yankees in Game 4 of ALDS

The New York Yankees forced a winner-take-all Game 5 in the 2017 American League Division Series with a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium Monday night.

Author:
Matthew Florjancic

Published:
11:00 PM EDT October 9, 2017

10:57 P.M.-NEW YORK YANKEES FORCE GAME 5 IN ALDS WITH 7-3 WIN OVER CLEVELAND INDIANS

The Cleveland Indians’ typically sound defense, especially at third base, proved to be their downfall against the New York Yankees in Game 4 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium Monday night.

The Indians committed four errors, and those miscues led to six runs for the Yankees, who evened the best-of-five series at 2-2 with a 7-3 win in front of the home fans in The Bronx and forced a Game 5 at Progressive Field Wednesday night.

Game 2 starters Corey Kluber (Indians) and CC Sabathia (Yankees) will take the mound in the winner-take-all Game 5 matchup in Cleveland.

PHOTOS: Cleveland Indians battle New York Yankees in Game 4 of the 2017 ALDS

Cleveland Indians catcher Roberto Perez (55) is greeted by third baseman Giovanny Urshela (39) after hitting a solo home run against the New York Yankees in the fifth inning of Game 4 of the 2017 ALDS at Yankee Stadium.

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Cleveland Indians catcher Roberto Perez (55) is greeted by third baseman Giovanny Urshela (39) after hitting a solo home run against the New York Yankees in the fifth inning of Game 4 of the 2017 ALDS at Yankee Stadium.

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9:46 p.m.-SANCHEZ BLASTS SOLO HOMER TO RIGHT FIELD

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez was held to just three hits in 14 at-bats over the first three games of the 2017 American League Division Series against the Cleveland Indians, but he made up for it in Game 4 at Yankee Stadium.

Working against Indians reliever Bryan Shaw in the bottom of the sixth inning, Sanchez took a 95-mile-per-hour cut fastball over the wall in right field for his second home run of the series.

Sanchez’s solo homer, which was New York’s first earned run of the game, gave the Yankees a 7-3 advantage over the Indians.

9:29 p.m.-YANKEES GET A RUN BACK AGAINST INDIANS

After giving up a total of three runs in back-to-back innings to the Cleveland Indians, the New York Yankees got one back in the bottom of the fifth frame in Game 4 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium.

Third baseman Todd Frazier reached on a throwing error charged to reliever Danny Salazar, and when the throw caromed into foul territory along the right-field line, Frazier hustled down to second base.

A groundout to first base from Hicks moved Frazier to third base, and Gardner lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to center field. After catching the ball for the second out of the inning, Jason Kipnis fired a throw to the plate, but Frazier slid in safely ahead of the tag attempt.

Frazier’s run gave the Yankees a 6-3 lead over the Indians.

9:11 p.m.-PEREZ BELTS OPPOSITE-FIELD HOMER

Cleveland Indians catcher Roberto Perez smashed an opposite-field solo home run over the wall and into the seats in right field off of New York Yankees starter Luis Severino in the top of the fifth inning of Game 4 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium.

Even in the count, 1-1, after fouling off a fastball, Perez went after a 100-mile-per-hour Severino fastball that was down and away, and instead of yanking it to the left side of the infield, stayed with the course of the pitch and took it to right field for his first home run of the 2017 postseason.

Perez’s home run cut New York’s lead down to two runs, 5-3, and was the second straight inning in which the Indians hit a round-tripper, as first baseman Carlos Santana belted a two-run homer to center field in the top of the fourth.

Despite having just 19 career home runs in 233 regular-season games, Perez has a flare for the dramatic in postseason play, as in the last two years, he has four round-trippers, including one against the Boston Red Sox in the 2016 American League Division Series and two against the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field.

Perez’s Game 4 home run at Yankee Stadium was his first postseason round-tripper in a road game during the postseason.

8:47 p.m.-SANTANA BELTS TWO-RUN HOMER

The Cleveland Indians had just one hit against New York Yankees starter Luis Severino over their first three trips to the plate, but first baseman Carlos Santana doubled that output and got the team on the scoreboard with a two-out, two-run home run to center field.

Santana’s home run gave the Indians their first two runs of the series in games played at Yankee Stadium, and trimmed New York’s lead down to three runs, 5-2, after the top of the fourth inning of Game 4 of the 2017 American League Division Series.

After fouling off the first pitch of the at-bat, Santana took two straight offerings high and outside of the strike zone. Then, Severino left a 91-mile-per-hour slider down at the knees, and Santana smashed it over the wall in center field for his first home run of the postseason.

Before Santana had a chance to get to the plate, right fielder Jay Bruce worked a nine-pitch at-bat against Severino, fouling off three pitches after getting down in the count, 0-2, before reaching base for the second time in Game 4.

8:29 p.m.-YANKEES ADD ONTO LEAD OVER INDIANS

Cleveland Indians reliever Mike Clevinger made the pitch he needed to end the bottom of the third inning, but the only problem was, it was not for a strikeout, and Urshela once again failed to register an out.

After cleanly fielding a ground ball, Urshela airmailed a throw to first baseman Carlos Santana, and by Santana having to jump to catch the ball, Gardner reached base safely, which allowed Castro to score and gave the Yankees a 5-0 lead.

Castro was on with a double after first baseman Greg Bird led off the inning with a walk.

8:05 p.m.-BAUER PULLED AFTER 1.2 INNINGS

Overall, Bauer allowed four hits, two walks and four runs, all unearned, with three strikeouts over 1.2 innings of work in his Game 4 start at Yankee Stadium, which was in stark contrast to the Game 1 performance he had against the Yankees at Progressive Field.

In the Game 1 start, Bauer set a new single-game personal playoff best with eight strikeouts, and allowed just two hits and one walk over 6.2 innings of work on the way to his first playoff win. Bauer registered three of his strikeouts against Judge, who belted 52 home runs during the regular season.

After getting Gardner to pop out to shortstop Francisco Lindor, Bauer struck out Judge looking and catcher Gary Sanchez swinging to set down the Yankees, 1-2-3, in the top of the first inning.

Judge and Sanchez combined to hit 85 home runs during the regular season. Judge blasted a Major League Baseball rookie record 52 home runs in 155 games, and Sanchez set a Yankees benchmark for catchers with 33 round-trippers.

In the top of the fourth inning, Bauer struck out Judge swinging, but the ball sailed to the backstop, which allowed the slugger to advance safely to first base. However, Bauer got Sanchez to roll over on a first-pitch curve ball, and Urshela responded by initiating a 5-4-3 double play.

Then, Bauer froze shortstop Didi Gregorius with a 94-mile-per-hour fastball on the inside corner for a called third strike and the final out of the inning. Bauer went after Gregorius with five straight fastballs, and all were in the mid-90s.

Bauer gave up his first hit in the top of the sixth inning, a one-out double to Hicks, but then, induced a groundout to first base, and struck out Judge on a called third strike for the second time in the game.

Bauer’s 5.1 innings of no-hit baseball was the longest no-hit bid ever by an Indians pitcher in postseason play.

7:47 p.m.-YANKEES TAKE EARLY LEAD IN GAME 4

A fielding error and passed ball extended the bottom of the second inning for the Yankees, and four straight base hits against Trevor Bauer led to a 4-0 advantage over the Indians after two innings of play in Game 4 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium.

Second baseman Starlin Castro reached on a fielding error charged to Indians third baseman Giovanny Urshela. Castro rocketed an 0-1 pitch toward third base, and some late action changed the path of the ball, missing Urshela’s glove completely and ricocheting off of his left ankle.

Then, after Bauer got designated hitter Chase Headley to strike out looking, catcher Roberto Perez had a ball pop out of his glove, which allowed Castro to move into scoring position.

Third baseman Todd Frazier followed with a two-out RBI double that hit off the chalk down the left-field line and brought around Castro. Later, Frazier scored when center fielder Aaron Hicks slapped a single to right-center field.

After left fielder Brett Gardner singled to center field, right fielder Aaron Judge ended Bauer’s night with a two-run double to the wall in left.

4:30 p.m.-BAUER GETS BALL FOR INDIANS IN GAME 4

Trevor Bauer will start for the Cleveland Indians in Game 4 of the 2017 American League Division Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York Monday night.

Bauer will do battle against Yankees ace Luis Severino, who has not yet pitched in the ALDS after starting the American League Wild Card Game against the Minnesota Twins, and has a chance to send the Indians to the American League Championship Series for the second straight season.

The 2017 postseason could not have gotten off to different starts for Severino and Bauer.

Severino allowed three earned runs, two home runs, one walk and four hits without a strikeout in just one-third of an inning against the Twins, while Bauer had the best postseason start of his career in Game 1 against the Yankees.

Bauer set a new single-game personal playoff best with eight strikeouts, and allowed just two hits and one walk over 6.2 innings of work on the way to his first playoff win. Bauer registered three of his strikeouts against Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who belted 52 home runs during the regular season.

Bauer’s 5.1 innings of no-hit baseball was the longest no-hit bid ever by an Indians pitcher in postseason play.

“I consider this normal rest for me,” Bauer said of pitching with just three days’ rest. “I enjoy pitching on short, I guess, technical definition of short. But if I could draw it out, personally, this is how I'd pitch every time. Take my normal two days' recovery after my start, and then, do my day before routine today, and then, roll it out there tomorrow, so I'm feeling very confident where I'm at.”

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